Hosta plant named ‘Orange Star’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hosta  plant named ‘Orange Star’, characterized by its outwardly spreading foliage with upright flower scapes; thick dark green and pale yellow to white variegated leaves; light violet to white-colored flowers that are positioned above the foliar plane on strong scapes; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Hosta hybrid.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ORANGE STAR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hosta plant, botanically known as Hosta hybrid and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Orange Star’.

The new Hosta plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Hosta hybrid ‘June Fever’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,340. The new Hosta plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Barneveld, The Netherlands in May, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hosta plant by divisions in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Barneveld, The Netherlands since August, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Hosta plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hosta have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Orange Star’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Orange Star’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Hosta plant:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading foliage with upright flower scapes.     -   2. Thick dark green and pale yellow to white variegated leaves.     -   3. Light violet to white-colored flowers that are positioned         above the foliar plane on strong scapes.     -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Hosta differ primarily from plants of the parent, ‘June Fever’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hosta grow slower than plants of ‘June         Fever’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Hosta are thicker than leaves of         plants of ‘June Fever’.     -   3. Under low light conditions, leaves of plants of the new Hosta         maintain their variegation whereas leaves of plants of ‘June         Fever’ loose their variegation.

Plants of the new Hosta can be compared to plants of ‘Sweet Innocence’, not patented. Plants of the new Hosta and ‘Sweet Innocence’ differ primarily in leaf coloration as plants of ‘Sweet Innocence’ have light green and pale yellow variegated leaves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Hosta plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hosta plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Orange Star’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers and leaves of ‘Orange Star’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late summer in two-liter containers in an outdoor nursery in Barneveld, The Netherlands and under commercial practice. Plants were two years old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Hosta hybrid ‘Orange Star’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Hosta     hybrid ‘June Fever’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,340. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By divisions.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; creamy white             in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Herbaceous flowering perennial plant;             mounded plant form with outwardly spreading foliage and             upright flower scapes; flowering stems and leaves basal;             moderately vigorous growth habit; light violet to             white-colored flowers that are positioned above the foliar             plane on strong scapes.         -   Growth rate.—Moderately fast; about one year is required to             produce fully-grown flowering plants.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plane).—About 20             cm.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of inflorescences).—About 25             cm to 30 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 30 cm. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement/form.—Leaves basal, simple, generally             symmetrical, thick and long-persisting.         -   Leaf length.—About 10 cm to 13 cm.         -   Leaf width.—About 5 cm to 7 cm.         -   Shape.—Cordate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Rounded.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             leathery; moderately rugose.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Center, close to             144B; towards the margins, close to 137A. Developing leaves,             lower surface: Center, close to 144C; towards the margins,             close to 137C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Center,             close to 10D to 155A; towards the margins, close to 147A;             venation, similar to surface colors. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Center, close to 155A to 159D; towards the             margins, close to 137A; venation, similar to surface colors.         -   Petiole length.—About 7 cm to 12 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 5 mm to 7 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Petiole color, upper surface.—Close to 144A; towards the             edges, close to 137A.         -   Petiole color, lower surface.—Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single campanulate flowers with fused             perianth arranged on terminal racemes; flowers face mostly             outwardly; panicles roughly conical in shape; freely             flowering habit.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; sweet, pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering recurrent during July             and August in The Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about one week on the             plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1 cm to 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 5             mm to 11 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 8 cm to 12 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 11 cm to 13 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 5 cm.         -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Three interior tepals arranged in a             single whorl surrounded by an outer whorl of three exterior             tepals. Tepal length: About 1.5 cm to 2 cm. Tepal width:             About 1 cm to 1.2 cm. Tepal shape: Ovate. Tepal apex: Acute.             Tepal margin: Entire. Tepal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Tepal color: Developing             and fully expanded petals, upper surface: Close to 85C;             towards the base and margins, close to 85D to N155D.             Developing and fully expanded petals, lower surface: Close             to 85D.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity: One per flower at the base of the             pedicel. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape:             Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 160D; towards the margins, close to             146B.         -   Peduncles (scapes).—Length: About 15 cm to 18 cm. Diameter:             About 4 mm. Angle: Erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 151A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 8 mm to 10 mm. Diameter: About 1.5             mm to 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 151A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             six; anthers dorsifixed. Filament length: About 5 cm to             5.5 cm. Filament color: Close to 155C. Anther shape:             Narrowly oblong. Anther length: About 4 mm. Anther color:             Close to 86B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close             to 21A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Stigma shape:             Lobed. Stigma color: Close to 155C. Style length: About             5 cm. Style color: Close to 145D. Ovary length: About 6 mm.             Ovary color: Close to 154D.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Hosta have not been noted     to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hosta. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Hosta have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about −30° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Hosta plant named ‘Orange Star’ as illustrated and described. 